Steam-shovel.



J. T. ALBERT.

STEAM SHOVEL. APPLICATION FILED 001'.17,191a.

1,1 18,724. Patnted Nov. 24, 1914.

2 SHEETS-SHEET l.

' l/VVE/VTOR A Jamaal? =11 wer A TTORNEKSV J. T. ALBERT. STEAM SHOVEL. APPLICATION FILED OGT.17,1918.

Patented Nov. 24, 1914.

: ETS-SHEET 2.

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llVl/E/VTUI? cTanzqsJfJ lberl ATTORNEYS,

THE NURHIS PETERS C0.. P!ll JTU-L!THO.. WASHINGTON, D. C

nm'rnn srnrns PATENT OFFICE.

JAMEsTnoU'r nn ALBERT, on EMPIRE, CANAL ZONE.

STEAM-SHOVEL.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 24., 1914.

. Application filed October 17, 1913. Serial No. 795,761.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, JAMES T. ALBERT, a c1t1zen of .the United States, and a resident of Empire, Canal Zone, Panama, have invented a new andlmproved Steam-Shovel,

of which the following is a full, clear, and

exact description. y y y This invention relatesto excavating machinery and has particular reference to heavy steam-operated excavators or shovels.

machinery of this type,al1 as will be here inafter more fully set forth and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which-- Figure 1 is a side elevationof the outer end of a boom with the power devices there on and to which is connected the steam operated dipper; Fig. 2 is a transverse section substantially on the line 2.2 of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is an enlarged detail 7 of the tripping sheave; Fig. 4 is a detail of the two-way steam valve used in connection with the steam turbine; Fig. 5 is a detail view of the.

cially the latch mechanism; Figs. 7 and 8 are diagrammatic views of the tripping sheave showing different positions thereof with respect to the chain connected thereto; and Fig. 9is a detail of the swivel connection between the tripping chain and the latch mechanism shown in Fig. 6. it

The several parts of the device may be made of any suitable materials, and the relative sizes and proportions as Well as the general design of the mechanism may be varied to a considerable extent without departing from the spirit of the invention hereinafter more fully set forth and specifically claimed.

At 10 is shown any suitable or conven-. tional form of excavator boom, having a stage or platform 11 for the craneman in proximity to the motor 12 usually carried by the boom in heavy machinery of this type. The dipper 13 is provided, as usual, with a pair of parallel arms 14 associated with and operated from the boom as heretofore, such operating connections includin vertical planes is also controlled by a pulley block 15 and cables 16 operating over the outer end of the boom.

lng racks 14. The operationof the dipper.

r The bottom 17 of the dipper is hinged 1 through arms 18 to the mainpart of the dipper at 19 so as to sWingshut by gravity when the dipper is lowered preparatory to the filling operation. A latch 20, slidable longitudinally ofsaid dipper bottom along keepers 2]., is adapted to automatically snap into a keeper 22 under the influence of a spring 23 to lock the bottom shut during the filling and conveying operations.

At any convenient place near the lower ends of the arms 14 is arranged an auxiliary motor in the nature of a steam turbine 24. The rotor of the turbine 15 connected to a transverse shaft 25 journalcd in and extending through said arms 14C. The turbine is located on the outside preferably the right side, of the arms 14, and at the opposite end of the shaft 25 is secured a peculiar form of sheave 26. Said sheave comprises a substantially cylindrical body 26 and a flange 26, the latter being arranged adjacent one of the arms Id. The body or barrel 26 is provided with a spiral groove 27. Said groove 27 extends fron'r apoint 28 adjacent the flange 26 spirally around the barrel, making a substantially complete turn, and opens at its opposite end at the extreme end of the sheave. A flexible trip member, shown herein for convenience as a chain 29, is secured at one end to an eye 30 locked to a lug 31 adjacent the point 28 above described, and said chain is adapted to follow the spiral groove 27 while the sheave is rotated by means of the motor. The opposite end a of the chain is secured to a lever 32 extending transversely across the upper portion of the dipper bottom 17 and pivoted at 33. The upper end of the latch 20 is connected to said lever 32 through another lever 34 and a link 35. The lever 34: is pivoted at one end to the dipper bottom at 36 and has its other end passed through the upper end of the latch and pivoted loosely at 37 to said link. This system of levers and link connections provides for high power to be applied the lever 32, a matter of extreme importance in view of the peculiar nature and operation of the sheave.

At 39 is shown a steam pipe leading from the main steam supply 40 of the steam engine, and a two-way valve 41 serves to provide communication between said pipe 39 and a continuation thereof shown at 42. Said extension 42 also includes a flexible hose 42' connected by universal joints 43. one of said joints being adjacent the turbine 24. The valve 11 is made to remain normally closed by an automatic spring as but is adapted to be opened by means of a'crank 45 having a connection 46 within reach of the crane man on the stage 11. s

From the foregoing description of the mechanism, its operation may be briefly de scribed as follows: Upon opening the valve 41 against the tension of the spring 4 1 live steam is conveyed through the pipes 39 and 42 into the turbine casing, the force of which serves to rotate the turbine rotor and the shaft 25 in the direction of the arrows indicated on several of the figures. This rotation of the shaft causes a corresponding rotation of the sheave 26 and the winding thereon of the chain, or so much of it as will fill the groove 27 once. The parts are so proportioned that one complete turn of the chain around the sheave 26 will be suficient to cause upward draft upon the lever 32 and the release of the latch 20 from the fixed keeper 22. It will be noted, however, that because of the peculiar form of the sheave with respect especially to its connection to the end of the shaft 25 and the groove 27 the motor may be permitted to continue its rotation indefinitely so far as the latch c011- nections are concerned, without doing any damage to any part of the mechanism. In other words, it is important for the highest efficiency of the machine that the turbine be rotated sufliciently to release the latch 20 and hence the crane man is relieved from special obligation to stop the rotation of such turbine at the precise moment that the latch is released. His attention may be called to other duties and should the turbine continue to rotate for a little while after the latch is released no damage can result because the chain 29, being guided by the groove 27 off of the end of the sheave will simply drop without winding upon the sheave, and the swivels 38 will prevent any possibility of twisting and breakage of the chain. Upon releasing the crank 45, however, the steam is out off from the pipes 42 and the turbine stopped rotating. When the dipper is lowered for a succeeding load the weight of the bottom 17 will be sufficient to cause the bottom to snap shut, the spring 23 and the weight of the parts being sufficient to cause the unwinding of the one coil of chain from the sheave 26.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is In a steam shovel of the class described, the combination with a dipper having a hinged bottom and an automatically operated latch to lock the same shut when the dipper is lowered to loading position, of power operated means to release the latch for dumping, said means including a rotary sheave having a spiral groove extending there-around from one end to the other and opening at the extreme end of the sheave, and a chain connected at one'end to the sheave at one end of the groove and at its other end to the latch mechanism, said chain being connected to the latch mechanism by a swivel and being adapted to drop from the end of the sheave so as to prevent continued winding there-upon during continued rotation of the sheave.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

JAMES TROUTMAN ALBERT. Witnesses:

WM. 0. KNIG T, WARREN E. MINNIX.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. G. 

